Russia calls Central Asia to join import substitution program

The Ministry of Finance, jointly with the National Bank and the Ministry of National Economy, announced on Monday the establishment of a consultative and advisory body - the Government Debt Management Council, Qazinform News Agency reports.

The decision is part of the implementation of a set of measures aimed at ensuring the sustainability of public finances and improve the balance of macroeconomic policy of Kazakhstan for 2025/27.

The Council will focus on developing measures aimed at increasing the depth, liquidity, and efficiency of the government securities market, reducing the cost of public borrowing used to finance the budget deficit, and forming relevant benchmarks for the quasi-public sector and corporate issuers.

The key objectives of the Council include adopting coordinated decisions on government debt management, developing the government securities market, and shaping issuance policies in domestic and international markets, taking into account macroeconomic conditions and debt sustainability.

 

In accordance with the agreements reached at the highest level between the heads of state of Kazakhstan and Slovenia in March 2025, as well as for the purpose of practical discussion of the basic principles of harmonization of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route - the Middle Corridor, with one of the largest seaports in Europe, Luka Koper, Kazakh Ambassador to Slovenia Altay Abibullayev got acquainted with the functional activities of the port and discussed the prospects of cooperation with the Chairwoman of the Board Nevenka Kržan, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.

During the conversation, a constructive exchange of views took place on the development of bilateral cooperation in the field of transport, transit and logistics. The Ambassador presented to the Slovenian side the potential of Kazakhstan as one of the key transit states of the Eurasian space, as well as the measures taken by the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan to develop modern transport and logistics infrastructure, including railway and multimodal routes of international importance.

Special attention was paid to the potential and opportunities for the development of the Middle Corridor, the tasks of diversifying transport routes, increasing the stability of supply chains and expanding logistics opportunities for European countries. The Chairwoman of the port's Management Board provided information on the current activities of Luka Koper, its infrastructure capabilities, the specialization of terminals, as well as plans for further development and modernization of port facilities. They confirmed their mutual interest in continuing a constructive dialogue and developing practical cooperation, including in terms of expanding cooperation with KTZ Express and other relevant structures and business circles of the two countries.

 

Margulan Baimukhan, Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Kingdom of Thailand, held a meeting with Eksiri Pintaruchi, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand. The parties reviewed the current state of bilateral relations, noting the steady growth of cooperation and the high level of trust between the two countries, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.

The Ambassador emphasized that Kazakhstan and Thailand have built a solid political dialogue supported by active exchanges of visits and the consistent expansion of the legal framework. Over the past two years, the sides have signed agreements on visa-free travel, trade and economic cooperation, and memorandums covering digitalization, tourism, agriculture, and international development.

Both sides expressed mutual interest in further strengthening political contacts and expanding cooperation in 2026, noting the importance of enhancing interagency coordination across key areas of the bilateral agenda.

Economic cooperation was central to the discussion. Kazakhstan remains Thailand’s largest trading partner in Central Asia, accounting for around 70% of Thailand’s trade with the region. Opportunities for expanding trade in agriculture, mechanical engineering, energy, and tourism were reviewed.

The Kazakh side underlined significant export potential in grain and meat supplies, particularly in the context of Thailand’s initiative to establish a regional food hub. The parties also stressed the importance of finalizing agreements on investment protection, avoidance of double taxation, and veterinary and plant quarantine regulations.

Collaboration in subsoil use and rare-earth metals was highlighted as a priority. Kazakhstan, holding substantial reserves of strategic raw materials, proposed exploring joint projects to meet Thailand’s growing demand for high-tech inputs.

Digital cooperation was another important area, including digital trade, fintech, cloud technologies, cybersecurity, and smart logistics. The Kazakh side presented its initiative to establish a UN ESCAP Digital Solutions Center to be located in Almaty.

Transport connectivity was addressed as a key component of the partnership. Currently, 23 direct flights per week operate between Kazakhstan and Thailand, carried out by Air Astana, SCAT Airlines, and Thai AirAsia X. The new Shymkent-Bangkok route launched in December has further enhanced logistical and tourism ties. The parties also noted the potential of the Middle Corridor and future multimodal transport links under the China-Laos-Thailand railway project.

The Ambassador acknowledged the growing tourist flow from Kazakhstan to Thailand and expressed gratitude for the support provided in opening the Consulate of Kazakhstan in Phuket, with the official inauguration planned for January 2026.

The sides reaffirmed their aligned positions on major international issues and their readiness to enhance cooperation across multilateral platforms.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Ambassador M. Baimukhan stressed that Kazakhstan views Thailand as a key partner in Southeast Asia and remains committed to deepening political dialogue and expanding economic cooperation.

 

Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the State of Kuwait Yerzhan Yelekeyev met with sheikh Nawaf Saud Al-Sabah, Chief Executive Officer of the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, to discuss prospects for strengthening bilateral cooperation in the energy sector, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan reports.

During the meeting, Ambassador conveyed a letter of invitation from the Minister of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Yerlan Akkenzhenov, inviting sheikh Nawaf Al-Sabah to visit Kazakhstan. The proposed visit aims to facilitate in-depth discussions on potential areas of cooperation and partnership between Kazakhstan and Kuwait in the oil and energy industries.

The meeting underscored the mutual interest of both sides in expanding dialogue and exploring new opportunities for collaboration, including the exchange of expertise and the development of mutually beneficial projects in the energy sector.

 

Kazakhstan’s livestock industry is showing steady growth across all key areas, Qazinform News Agency learned from the Ministry of Agriculture.

Positive dynamics is observed both in the number of farm animals and in the volume of products manufactured.

The cattle population increased by 2.7% to reach 8.3 million head. The number of calves rose to 2.8 million, which is 17.8% more compared to the same period last year.

The horse population grew by 6.9% to 4.4 million head, with 1 million foals born (an increase of 8.8%).

The number of camels rose by 6.3% to 300 thousand head, with 53.8 thousand camel calves (+5.9%).

The poultry population increased by 8.8% to 48.5 million head.

The sheep population reached 19.6 million head, with 7.7 million lambs born, showing a 5% increase.

During the reporting period, the country produced 1,021.6 thousand tons of meat of all types, which is 3% higher than in 2024. This includes: 358.8 thousand tons of beef (351.4 thousand tons in 2024), 111.8 thousand tons of mutton (109.1 thousand tons), 146.8 thousand tons of horse meat (140 thousand tons), 337.1 thousand tons of poultry meat (326.3 thousand tons), and others.

 

During the meeting, the parties discussed prospects for expanding cooperation between Kazakhstan’s mining enterprises and the Japanese company, akorda.kz reports.

The Head of State emphasized that Kazakhstan, as a key regional partner of Hitachi Construction Machinery, is ready to further deepen mutually beneficial engagement.

According to the President, future efforts should focus on the localization of production and the repair and maintenance of equipment used in the development of ore deposits.

Kassym-Jomart Tokayev also noted that promising areas for cooperation include digitalization, the introduction of green technologies, and autonomous transport systems.

Masafumi Senzaki stated that the development and application of high-tech, low-carbon and safe solutions is one of Hitachi’s key priorities, both globally and within the framework of projects implemented in Kazakhstan.

Hitachi Construction Machinery is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of construction and mining equipment. The company’s excavators, mining dump trucks and other machinery are used in more than 150 countries, including at major mining sites in Kazakhstan.

 

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev expressed his appreciation to Mitsui’s management for the company’s active operations in Kazakhstan and its contribution to strengthening economic cooperation between Kazakhstan and Japan, akorda.kz reports.

At present, the company plays an important role in shaping global supply chains, as well as in the development of infrastructure, energy and industry.

The President expressed interest in expanding Mitsui’s presence in key sectors of Kazakhstan’s economy. In particular, he welcomed the company’s plans to participate in the construction of a production facility in Astana focused on capital repair and refurbishment of equipment.

Areas of mutual interest also include critical minerals, transport and logistics, as well as the introduction of technologies aimed at preventing natural disasters.

As part of the President of Kazakhstan’s visit to Tokyo, the signing of memoranda on the implementation of a number of joint projects with Mitsui in Kazakhstan is planned.

 

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev held a meeting with Shingo Ueno, Representative Director, President and CEO of Sumitomo Corporation, one of Japan’s largest and most influential trading and investment companies, akorda.kz reports.

The President of Kazakhstan noted that our country highly values Sumitomo’s commitment to sustainable growth and responsible business practices, and considers the company a long-term strategic partner.

In turn, Shingo Ueno informed the Head of State about the preparation of a joint project with the national atomic company Kazatomprom in the field of nuclear medicine. The project aims to develop scientifically grounded approaches to the production of medical radioisotopes from by-products of uranium manufacturing.

The interlocutors also discussed prospects for implementing joint investment projects in transportation and logistics, energy, nuclear industry, metallurgy and geological exploration.